Compact relay with single yoke-core member



M h 9 8 MASAO HIYANE ETAL 3,372,355 COMPA CT RELAY WITH SINGLE YOKE-COREMEMBER Filed Jan. 18, 1966 FIG.2

FIG.|

United States Patent Ofiice 3,372,356 COMPACT RELAY WITH SINGLEYOKE-CORE MEMBER Masao Hiyane and Yukihiro Suizu, Suzaka-shi, Japan,

assignors to Fujitsu Limited, Kawasaki, Japan, a corporation of JapanFiled Jan. 18, 1966, Ser. No. 521,313 6 Claims. (Cl. 335-281) ABSTRACTOF THE DISCLOSURE A relay comprises a yoke-core member of unitarystructure and substantially U-shaped configuration having a first corearm, a second yoke arm spaced from and substantially parallel to thefirst core arm and a center part joining the first and second arms. Thefirst and second arms have substantially coplanar end surfaces. Thesecond yoke arm has an elongated slot formed therethrough. The yoke-coremember is of magnetizable material and supports an energizing coil onits first core arm. An armature member of substantially L-shapedconfiguration is pivotally mounted in operative proximity with the firstcore arm on the second yoke arm at the end surface thereof. A releasespring positioned in the elongated slot formed through the second yokearm has one end afiixed to a first fastener in the slot and another endaflixed to a second fastener in the anmature.

The present invention relates to a compact relay. More particularly, theinvention relates to a compact relay with a single yoke-core member.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a new andimproved compact relay.

An object of the present invention is to provide a relay which is notonly compact and inexpensive in manufac ture, but efficient, effectiveand reliable in operation.

In accordance with the present invention, a relay comprises a yoke-coremember of unitary structure and substantially U-shaped configurationhaving a first core arm, a second yoke arm spaced from and substantiallyparallel to the first core arm and a center part joining the first andsecond arms. The yoke-core member is of magnetizable material. Anenergizing coil is supported on the first core arm. An armature memberof substantially L-sh-aped configuration is pivotally mounted on thesecond yoke arm in operative proximity with the first core arm. Thesecond yoke arm has an elongated slot formed there through. A releasespring is positioned in the elongated slot with one end affixed tofastening means in the elongated slot and with its other end aflixed tofastening means in thearmature.

In .order that the present invention may be readily carried into effect,it will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing,wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front view of an embodiment of the relay of the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is a view taken along the lines 11-11 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view taken along the lines IIIIII of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the embodiment of FIG. 1;

FIG 5 isa view taken along the lines V-V of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the yoke-core member of the embodimentof FIG. 1.

In the figures, the same components are identified by the same referencenumerals.

The relay of the-present invention, an embodiment of which is shown .inthe figures, utilizes a small number of 3,372,356 Patented Mar. 5, 1968parts and components so that it is assembled with facility and the relayis compact due to proper utilization of space d lack of wasted space.The magnetic circuit comprises an iron yoke and core which is shaped asa single member.

The single yoke-core member 1 is of unitary structure and ofsubstantially U-shaped configuration. The yokecore member 1 comprisesiron and is shown in perspective in FIG. 6. The yoke-core member 1 ispositioned in the relay on its side, so that, as shown in FIGS. 1, 5 and6, said member rests on one arm of the U. The U-shaped configuration ofthe yoke-core member 1 has a first arm 2, upon which it rests, a secondarm 3, substantially parallel to and wider than the firs-t arm 2, and acenter part 4 joining the first and second arms 2 and 3.

The first arm 2 of the yoke-core member 1 is narrow in width andsupports a bobbin 5 which is coaxially mounted thereon and afiixedthereto. The energizing coil 6 of the relay is wound on the bobbin 5. Anaperture 7 is formed through the central part 4. A bolt 8 or suitablefastening member is t-hreadedly coupled in the aperture 7 so that theyoke-core member 1 is aflixed in this manner to a terminal block orplate 9. A pair of projections 10a and 10b extend from opposite sides ofthe second arm 3 of the yoke-core member 11, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 6,and form an indented end surface 11 between them.

The first arm 2 of the yoke-core member 1 has an end surface 12 which issubstantially parallel to, and coplanar with, the end surface 11, butnot coplanar with the end surfaces of the projections 10a and 10b of thesecond arm 3. The end surfaces 11 and 12 are finished after shaping ofthe yoke-core member 1 and are contacted by the inner surface 13 of anarmature 14. The armature 14 is of L-shaped configuration.

The armature 14 has a pair of grooves or notches 15a and 15b formed inopposite sides thereof and corresponding to and fitting over theprojections 10a and 10b of the second arm 3 of the yoke-member 1. Thenotches 15a and 15b cooperate with the projections 10a and 10b tosupport and position the armature 14 and to direct the movement of saidarmature. The armature 14 is thus pivot-ally mounted at its notches 15aand 15b for pivotal movement on the projections 10a and 10]). When therelay is energized, by the flow of current through the energizing coilor winding 6, the armature 14 is attracted to the first arm 2 of theyoke-core member 1 and is rotated in a clockwise direction about theprojections 10a and 10b as pivot points (FIG. 5). When the relay isdeenergized, the armature 14 is rotated in a counterclockwise directionabout the projections 10a and 10b (FIG. 5) by the action of a releasespring 16.

The second arm 3 of the yoke-core member 1 has an elongated slot 17formed therethrough. The elongated slot 17 extends along the length ofthe second arm 3. An aperture 18 is formed through the second arm 3 ofthe yoke-core member 1 at a small distance from one end of the elongatedslot 17 so that a part 19 of said second arm remains as a bridge portiobetween said aperture and said elongated slot. Instead of such anarrangement, of course, a bridging pin or member may be inserted in theelongated slot 17 near one end thereof, thereby avoiding the need forthe aperture 18. Apertures 21 and 22 are formed through the armature 14with a part 23 of said armature remaining as a bridge portion betweensaid apertures.

One end of the release, spring 16 is affixed to the bridge portion 23 ofthe armature 14 and the other end of said release spring is afiixed tothe bridge portion 19 so that part of said release spring is positionedin the elongated slot 17. The bridge portion 19 is rounded to facilitateafiixing of the release spring 16 thereto. The release spring 16 issupported and positioned in a manner which enables said release springto urge the armature 14 in a counterclockwise direction (FIG. 5) aboutthe projections a and 10b of the second arm 3.

The actual, almost continual, area of contact of the yoke-core member 1with the armature 14 is along the upper edge of the end surface 11between said end surface and the outer surface of the second arm 3 ofsaid yoke-core member. The release spring 16 exerts a force F1 on thearmature 14, which force urges said armature to rotate in acounterclockwise direction about the projections 10a and 16b and urgessaid armature into abutment with the upper edge of the end surface 11.The

force F1, exerted on the armature 14 by the release spring 16, may ofcourse be broken into its components F2 and F3.

A sleeve or washer member 24 of insulation material is afiixed to theinner surface 13 of the armature 14 by any suitable means such as, forexample, a rivet or bolt 25. A resilient spring-type leaf member 26 isafiixed to or in the washer member 24 at one end and has a contactmember 27 at its other end. The leaf member 26 and its contact member 27are of electrically conductive material and serve as electricalconductors. An electrical terminal 28 is provided on the leaf member 26at its end afiixed to the washer member 24.

The terminal block or plate 9 comprises electrically insulatingmaterial. Electrical terminals 29a, 29b, 31 and 32 are affixed to andsupported by the terminal plate 9 by any suitable means.

An aperture 33 is formed through the terminal plate 9 to permit passageof the bolt 8 therethrough so that the yoke-core member 1 and saidterminal plate may be fastened to each other by said bolt.

The electrical terminal 28 is electrically connected to the electricalterminal 32 by an electrical conductor 34. The lower surface of theelectrical terminal 2% has an electrical contact 35 and the uppersurface of the electrical terminal 2% has an electrical contact 36, eachof said electrical contacts being adapted to make electrical contactwith the contact member 27 of the leaf member 26 to the exlusion of theother when said leaf member is in a corresponding determined position.The energizing coil or winding 6 is connected to the electrical terminal31. Any suitable number of leaf members 26 may be supported by anysuitable number of washer members 24 and any suitable number ofelectrical terminals 29a, 29b, 31 and 32 may be supported by theterminal plate 9. Thus, for example, as shown in the figures, there maybe two washer members 24, each supporting two leaf members 26, and theterminal plate 9 may support four electrical terminals 29a, fourelectrical terminals 29b, two electrical terminals 31 and fourelectrical terminals 32 (FIGS. 3 and 4).

A cover or housing 37 is provided for the relay unit. The cover 37 has apair of apertures formed therein on opposite sides thereof. A pair ofprojections 38a and 38b are provided on opposite sides of the terminalplate 9 and fit into the apertures formed in the cover 37. Theprojections 38a and 38b thus maintain the cover 37 in position andprevent it from falling off.

When the relay is deenergized, the armature 14 is in its position shownin FIGS. 1 and 5 and the contact member 27 of the leaf member 26 is inelectrical contact with the electrical contact 36 of the electricalterminal 2% so that a circuit 2%, 36, 2'7, 26, 28, 34, 32 is closed.When the relay is energized, the armature 14 is in a position in whichit is displaced in a clockwise direction from its deenergized positionand the contact member 27 of the leaf member 26 is in electrical contactwith the electrical contact 35 of the electrical terminal 29a so that acircuit 29a, 35, 27, 26, 28, 34, 32 is closed.

The yoke-core member 1 may be made by stamping an iron plate and thenbending it into U-shape. The forming of the yoke-core member 1 from asingle plate of iron decreases the number of components usuallycomprising the yoke and the core to but a single component and avoidsthe need for connecting such components to each other. The singleyoke-core member 1 also provides an efficient magnetic circuit, sincemagnetic reluctance created by connecting separate components to formthe yoke and core is avoided and the reluctance of said single yoke-coremember is very low. The end surfaces 11 and 12 of the yoke-coremember 1are cut and finished at the same time so that the first and second arms2 and 3 of said yoke-core member are facilely made of the same lengthand the length of the yoke equals the length of the core; the first arm2 corresponding to the core and the second arm 3 corresponding to theyoke. The end surfaces 11 and 12 are also facilely made coplanar bypolishing and finishing at the same time.

The contact between the inner surface 13 of the armature 14 and the endsurfaces 11 and 12 is good, so that the space between said armature andsaid end surfaces is small and the magnetic reluctance iscorrespondingly small. The positioning of the release spring 16 in theelongated slot 17 in the second arm 3 of the yoke-core member 1 savesconsiderable space and enables the relay to be compact and miniaturized.The support of one end of the release spring 16 by the bridge portion 19of the second arm 3 of the yoke-core member 1 avoids the need for anexternal fixture and simplifies the structure considerably.

While the invention has been described by means of a specific exampleand in a specific embodiment, we do not wish to be limited thereto, forobvious modifications will occur to those skilled in the art withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention.

We claim:

1. In a relay, a yoke-core member of unitary structure and substantiallyU-shaped configuration having a first core arm, a second yoke arm spacedfrom and substantially parallel to said first core arm, said first andsecond arms having substantially coplanar end surfaces, said second yokearm having an elongated slot formed therethrough, and a center partjoining said first and second arms, said yoke-core member being ofmagnetizable material; an energizing coil supported on said first corearm; an armature member of substantially L-shaped configuration;mounting means pivotally mounting said armature member in operativeproximity with said first core arm, said mounting means being supportedby said second yoke arm at the end surface thereof; first springfastening means in the elongated slot formed through said second yokearm; second spring fastening means in said armature; and a releasespring in said elongated slotformed through said second yoke arm andhaving one end aflixed to said first spring fastening means and anotheropposite end afiixed to said second spring fastening means.

2. In a relay as claimed in claim 1, wherein said release springpivotally urges said armature in one of a clockwise and counterclockwisedirection about said mounting means and energization of said energizingcoil pivotally urges said armature in the other of a clockwise andcounterclockwise direction about said mounting means.

3'. In a relay as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a housingcovering said yoke-core member, said coil, said armature member, saidmounting" means, said first and second spring fastening means and saidrelease spring, and a bolt affixing said center part and therefore saidyoke-core member to said housing.

4. In a relay as claimed in claim 1, wherein said mounting meanscomprises a pair of spaced opposite notches formed in saidarmaturemember and a pair of spaced opposite projections extending fromsaid second yoke arm beyond the end surface thereof and passing into thenotches formed in said armature member.

5. In a relay as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first spring fasteningmeans comprises a rounded bridge portiOn across said elongated slotformed through said second yoke arm.

6. In a relay as claimed in claim 3, wherein said housing has anaperture formed therethrough, and further comprising electricalconducting means in said housing housing.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Matthias 335276 Bogue et al335275 Peterson 335276 Ryckman et a1. 335-276 BERNARD A. GILHEANY,Primary Examiner. and extending to the aperture formed through said 10GEORGE HARRIS, JR., Examiner.

